Panic Attacks - anyone suffer from these?

jeannieblue

Good advice Belfast girl. I wasted alot more years, but, all the cr*p in the end has made me a stronger person. Many many years ago I was so bad i couldn't go out even into the back garden!

Since then I have 'commuted' every 4-6 weeks for four years or so to San Francisco (average 11 hour flight) - on my own. Not done that for a few years now, but it shows, I hope, that never say never. And I'm an independent woman now! Bit broke and could do with winning the lottery but independent!!

OP, be strong. Whatever life throws at you, you can and will, overcome it.

MrsE_2

I've had them too & like you OP I felt shaken for ages after, days even.

REMEMBER its not a heart attack & it can't harm you, don't give it that much power.

I got in a circle of being so davistated at having anything like that, that I took it really hard & felt I had crumbled.
I worried all the time about them & the next one comming. I only had a couple of proper ones, but lived in a state of being anxious about anxiety for a couple of years.

They/it stopped, felt like it never would.

Try natural relaxation & try NOT to worry about them.

Think of it as your bodies natural reaction to stress, which is what it is.

jeannieblue

Lifes a b1tch at times isn't it.

Part of me is glad that I have 'gone thru what I have' - because it has made me the person that I am today.

The other part of me is kinda p*ssed off with being dealt all the sh*t!!

I'm after an easy life now - but it isn't happening and don't expect it will, but, on a positive note OP I have learnt to deal with the panic attacks - I confront them before they get a grip - its not easy, but you can do it. Feel them coming on, stop, breath, distract yourself (fiddle with something - try and keep it legal and non sexual as you could be in public ). If you can laugh ... well laughter kills tension/stress dead!!

You may have to become a bit of an actor - as in acting confident or acting whatever you want to be or feel. It works.. honest.

alyth

thanks for all your replies, I really do appreciate them - especially as I just tried to return ex's call and the bint answered the phone that he's moved in - I've just tried to do some deep breathing and I've calmed down a bit.

MrsE, I never actually thought of the fact that it's my body reacting to stress, I read your message this morning and have been thinking about that all day. I'm going to buy myself tonight some relaxation CDs so I can sit and listen to them at night whilst I'm knitting to unwind me.

I'm my own worst enemy at the moment - I had an interview for a fantastic job on Friday, so I rang them at 4pm today to see whether they'd made a decision -they had said it would be Monday/Tuesday when they got back to me. They were just about to go into a meeting to discuss the vacancy, I've fretted all night now that I've blown my chances by coming across as too desperate!

I'll now go and see if there's anything remotely funny on TV and sit for an hour and knit and try and relax myself - before taking my nytol tablet as I'm having difficulty sleeping as well!

Thanks everyone though, your replies really do mean a lot to me.

absolutebounder

panic attacks are probably the nastiest of all harmless things. They are stress related so OP you are right to seek relaxation / NLP help but you might need regression to find the source.

MrsE_2

alyth wrote: »

MrsE, I never actually thought of the fact that it's my body reacting to stress, I read your message this morning and have been thinking about that all day. I'm going to buy myself tonight some relaxation CDs so I can sit and listen to them at night whilst I'm knitting to unwind me..

I found the best thing is to try & forget about the worries of the panic & try & forget the stress.

Now thats far easier said than done.

But you control it, don't let it control you.

You body is telling you it needs a bit of relaxation & to stop worrying.

So relax, forget & don't worry.

alyth

absolutebounder wrote: »

panic attacks are probably the nastiest of all harmless things. They are stress related so OP you are right to seek relaxation / NLP help but you might need regression to find the source.

I know the source - finding out ex had moved his bint into our joint house two days after I moved out - coupled with losing my job that same weekend!

I'm calm now, sounds pathetic, doesn't it - but I get really shaky and start kind of hyperventilating, but I'm okay now.

MrsE_2

alyth wrote: »

I know the source - finding out ex had moved his bint into our joint house two days after I moved out - coupled with losing my job that same weekend!

I'm calm now, sounds pathetic, doesn't it - but I get really shaky and start kind of hyperventilating, but I'm okay now.

Perhaps you should look at it as - what a lucky escape you had?

Sorry about your job.

alyth

I'm trying to think it's a lucky escape, the job was the killer, as I was kind of defined by my job, rightly or wrongly, and I've lost everything that was my routine and comfort in the space of about 3 days! I'm kind of waiting to see whether I've got this job, if I haven't then fine, as I want to sign up for voluntary work but this job entails working every second weekend. So my life is really on hold a bit - but will hopefully find out one way or the other in the morning!

endure

I had panic attacks and depression that kept me off work for 3 years. I also developed agoraphobia which meant I stopped in a lot and watched the telly. Fortunately I watched a series of interviews with Dr Claire Weekes on 'Pebble Mill at One'. I say fortunately because she was my saviour. I haven't had an attack for 10 years now but I know that if one came along I'd be able to brush it off. Go and have a look at

http://www.drclaireweekes.co.uk/

Buy her books and read and re-read and re-re-read them until the advice in them is second nature. You won't be cured. You won't need to be. She'll give you the tools to not worry.

Sorry if I sound a bit ranty but Dr Weekes gave me back my life. Unfortunately she's now passed on but there are a lot of poeple who are glad she lived.

cheers

endure